Oct. 24, 2010

By Wes Todd
Assistant Media Relations Director

WILMINGTON, N.C. – South Carolina struggled – along with the rest of the field – on the final day of the Landfall Tradition, finishing in a tie for 11th place in the elite 18-team field. The Gamecocks shot 313 (+25) on Sunday to finish at 919 (+55) overall.

Freshman Samantha Swinehart had the best closing round for Carolina, posting a 3-over-par 75 to close out her stay at the Country Club of Landfall’s Dye Course. Starting on the ninth hole, she opened with a bogey but then rolled off six straight pars before a birdie at the par-3 16th got her back to even. She turned for the front nine at 1-over after bogeying No. 17, then had three bogeys along with a birdie on her final eight holes. Swinehart climbed 14 spots in the final standings to a tie for 40th place.

Junior Katie Burnett was the team’s top finisher despite a 7-over-par 79 in Sunday’s closing round. It was a rough start for Burnett with two straight double-bogeys on her first two holes, but she settled down and played the next eight holes at 1-under with a birdie at No. 14. Another double-bogey at the 16th and bogey at the 18th left her 6-over with five to play. She made birdie at No. 4 but had a pair of bogeys around it, finishing at 7-over for the day and 9-over for the week, tied for 22nd place.

Sophomore Amanda Strang posted her second-straight round of 78 (+6) with three birdies on the day to finish at 16-over for the week. Freshmen Suzie Lee and Katie Rose Higgins both shot 81 (+9) in Sunday’s final round.

Despite being unable to break 300 in the final round, UCLA took the team title at 880 (+16) after 36-hole leader Duke fell to fourth place with a 28-over-par 316. North Carolina took second at 885 (+21), and Texas was third at 890 (+26). Individually, Virginia’s Brittany Altomare and UCLA’s Tiffany Lua shared medalist honors at 2-under-par 214.

The Gamecocks will close out their fall season Nov. 5-7 as they travel to Stanford, Calif., for the inaugural Pac-10/SEC Challenge.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T22. Katie Burnett – 72-74-79=225 (+9)
T40. Samanthan Swinehart – 77-78-75=230 (+14)
T52. Amanda Strang – 76-78-78=232 (+16)
T63. Suzie Lee – 74-80-81=235 (+19)
69. Katie Rose Higgins – 78-77-81=236 (+20)

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. UCLA – 880 (+16)
2. North Carolina – 885 (+21)
3. Texas – 890 (+26)
4. Duke – 891 (+27)
5. Virginia – 892 (+28)
6. Notre Dame – 896 (+32)
7. Michigan State – 903 (+39)
8. Wake Forest – 907 (+43)
9. Ohio State – 908 (+44)
10. Chattanooga – 911 (+47)
T11. South Carolina – 919 (+55)
T11. NC State – 919 (+55)
13. Northwestern – 920 (+56)
14. Oklahoma State – 924 (+60)
15. Florida State – 931 (+67)
16. Texas Tech – 934 (+70)
17. UNC Wilmington – 953 (+89)
18. UNC Greensboro – 967 (+103)